Duterte to De Lima: No apologies

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — President Rodrigo Duterte stands firm: He will not apologize to Senator Leila De Lima.

Earlier, a teary-eyed De Lima urged Duterte to show some decency, go back to work, and spare her loved ones from personal attacks.

"If you are bent on destroying me, please have the decency to spare my colleagues, friends, and family. Wala po silang kasalanan sa inyo [They did nothing wrong to you]," De Lima said in a press conference at the Senate Thursday after Dutere named her as the public official he wanted to "destroy."

In his speech at Camp Siongco in Maguindanao on Thursday, Duterte said it's his duty to expose the truth. He does not believe he abused his power when he publicly accused the senator of accepting drug money to fund her election campaign.

"She created the scandal. She knows she is a public official," Duterte said.

He added, "Kapag nasa public office ka [When you are in public office], De Lima, your life is an open book."

Duterte insisted he has strong evidence to back his claims, including statements of witnesses and records from the courts, Commission on Human Rights, and Department of Justice (DOJ).